Convertible Compounded Rotorcraft

ABSTRACT

A compound rotorcraft including a rotary wing aircraft having a fuselage and at least one rotor and a fixed-wing aircraft coupled to the rotary wing aircraft, wherein the rotary wing aircraft can fly on the rotor or the fixed-wing aircraft, and wherein the fixed-wing aircraft is detachable from the rotary wing aircraft to fly independently.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority from, U.S.Ser. No. 13/661,567 filed on Oct. 26, 2012.

FIELD

The present disclosure is generally related to aircraft and, moreparticularly, to a compound rotorcraft having a fixed-winged aircraftremovably coupled to a rotary wing aircraft.

BACKGROUND

Various types of rotary wing aircraft have been developed havingparticular performance and mission capabilities. In order to improve theperformance or capability of a traditional rotary wing aircraft, such asa single rotor or tandem rotor helicopter, the rotary wing aircraft mustbe installed with compounding features like wings, thrust engines,propeller, rotors, sensor systems, or weapons systems on the aircraftitself. Installation of such compounding features requires significantmodification to the rotary wing aircraft and adds complexity, cost, andweight. Such compounding modifications also increase the requiredinstalled power of the rotary wing aircraft.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research anddevelopment efforts in the field of compounding rotary wing aircraft toimprove performance and mission capabilities.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the disclosed compound rotorcraft may include arotary wing aircraft comprising a fuselage and at least one rotor, and afixed-wing aircraft releasably coupled to the rotary wing aircraft.

In another embodiment, the disclosed compound rotorcraft may include arotary wing aircraft having a fuselage and at least one rotor and afixed-wing aircraft coupled to the rotary wing aircraft, wherein therotary wing aircraft can fly on the rotor or the fixed-wing aircraft,and wherein the fixed-wing aircraft is detachable from the rotary wingaircraft to fly independently.

In another embodiment, the compound rotorcraft may include a fixed-wingaircraft having a wing and a propulsion drive and configured to becoupled to a rotary wing aircraft, the rotary wing aircraft initiallyhaving a fuselage and at least one rotor, wherein the rotary wingaircraft can fly on the rotor or the fixed-wing aircraft, and whereinthe fixed-wing aircraft is detachable from the rotary wing aircraft tofly independently.

In yet another embodiment, disclosed is a method of compounding a rotarywing aircraft having a fuselage and at least one rotor, the method mayinclude the steps of: (1) providing a fixed-wing aircraft including atleast one wing and a propulsion drive, and (2) coupling the fixed-wingaircraft to the rotary wing aircraft to form a compound aerial platform,wherein the rotary wing aircraft can fly on the rotor or the fixed-wingaircraft, and wherein the fixed-wing aircraft is detachable from therotary wing aircraft to fly independently.

Other embodiments of the disclosed compound rotorcraft will becomeapparent from the following detailed description, the accompanyingdrawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the disclosed compoundrotorcraft;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the disclosed compound rotorcraftdepicted with a fixed-wing aircraft separated from a rotary wingaircraft;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the disclosed compound rotorcraft;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the disclosed compound rotorcraftdepicted with the fixed-wing aircraft separated;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the disclosed compound rotorcraftof FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the disclosed compound rotorcraftof FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fixed-winged aircraft;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the fixed-winged aircraft of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the fixed-winged aircraft of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the fixed-winged aircraft of FIG.7;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the fixed-winged aircraft of FIG.7;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of thedisclosed compound depicting the fixed-winged aircraft in a horizontalwing mode;

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the disclosed compound rotorcraftdepicting the fixed-winged aircraft in a vertical wing mode;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the fixed-winged aircraft of FIG. 12; and,

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the fixed-wing aircraft of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings,which illustrate specific embodiments of the disclosure. Otherembodiments having different structures and operations do not departfrom the scope of the present disclosure. Like reference numerals mayrefer to the same element or component in the different drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a compound rotorcraft, generally designated10 may include a rotary wing aircraft 12 and a fixed-wing aircraft 14.The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may be releasably coupled to the rotary wingaircraft 12.

The rotary wing aircraft 12 may be any type of flying machine that useslift generated by rotor blades, for example a helicopter. The rotarywing aircraft 12 may include a fuselage 16 and at least one rotor 18.The rotor 18 may be powered by an engine and may include a transmissionmechanically connected between the engine and a rotor mast connected tothe rotor 18 and a controls system. The rotary wing aircraft 12 mayinclude a main rotor 18 and a tail rotor or, as illustrated in thedrawings, may include two rotors 18 in tandem, typically rotating inopposite directions in order to cancel the torque reaction so that notail rotor or other yaw stabilizer in required. Each rotor 18 mayinclude at least two rotor blades 20; four blades 20 are shown byexample. The rotary wing aircraft 12 may optionally include additionalthrust engines.

The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may include at least one wing 23 and apropulsion drive 27 mounted to the wing 23. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may include a center body 22, a left wing 24,a right wing 26, a left proprotor 28, and a right proprotor 30 (i.e.,the propulsion drives 27). Each proprotor 28, 30 may include at leasttwo proprotor blades 32, three are shown by example. It can beappreciated by one skilled in the art that while the propulsion drive 27is illustrated and described as proprotors, the fixed-wing aircraft 14may utilize thrust engines mounted to the wings 24, 26 and, as such, thediscussion of proprotors is not meant to limit the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 9, the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may include an engine 33,such as single or dual turbine engines, and controls system, includingcommunications and mission systems and a navigation and guidance sensorsuite with autonomous flight software. The engine 33 and proprotorassemblies 28, 30 may be of any suitable type mounted on the wings 24,26 and extending forward of a leading edge of the wing 24, 26.

The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may be coupled to the fuselage 16 of therotary wing aircraft 12, such that the rotary wing aircraft 12 may flyupon the rotors 18 or may fly upon the wings 24, 26 and proprotors 28,30 of the fixed-wing aircraft 14. When coupled to the rotary wingaircraft 12, the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may provide additionalpropulsion and lift for speed augmentation, i.e., increased cruise anddash speeds, of the rotary wing aircraft 12, which normally flies on theedgewise rotors 18.

The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may provide compounding features, which atthe same time are usable as a separate entity aircraft independent ofthe rotary wing aircraft 12. The rotary wing aircraft 12 may be anyexisting rotorcraft modified to accept the docking of a suitablydesigned fixed-wing aircraft 14 or may be any rotorcraft designed toaccept docking of a corresponding fixed-wing aircraft 14.

The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may be an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), anunmanned aircraft system (UAS), or may be optionally manned by one ormore pilots. For an unmanned implementation, the fixed-wing aircraft 14may be controlled by a pilot from within the rotary wing aircraft 12,remotely by a navigator on the ground, or by an onboard computer system.In one embodiment of the disclosed compound rotorcraft and wingedaircraft 10, the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may be a vertically launchableand recoverable winged aircraft. As such, the fixed-wing aircraft may bea tail-sitting vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. For a mannedimplementation, the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may include a cockpit where apilot may fly in a standing position at takeoff and in a prone positionduring fixed-wing flight.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 6, the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may becoupled to the rotary wing aircraft 12 at or near a midpoint of thefuselage 16 and at a lowest portion of the outer mould line of therotary wing aircraft 12. The rotary wing aircraft 12 may include adocking bay 34 disposed about the lower midpoint of the fuselage 16. Thedocking bay 34 may be suitably sized to properly receive the center body22 and optionally a portion of the wings 24, 26 of the fixed-wingaircraft 14. The docking bay 34 may include at least one cabin dockingport 36, two laterally spaced apart and aligned docking ports 36 areshown by example; each docking port 36 may include at least one harddocking point and at least one electronic control connection formechanical and electrical connection between the rotary wing aircraft 12and the fixed-wing aircraft 14. In one instance, the rotary wingaircraft includes one docking port having a mechanical docking point andelectrical connection to mechanically and electrically couple thefixed-wing aircraft to the rotary wing aircraft. In another instance,said fixed-wing aircraft includes one docking port connector having amechanical docking connector and electrical connector to mechanicallyand electrically connect to said docking port.

The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may dock and undock with the rotary wingaircraft 12 on the ground or in-flight to form the coupled platform,i.e., the compound rotorcraft 10. When the fixed-wing aircraft 14 isdocked, any forward and aft cargo hooks provided on the rotary wingaircraft 12 remain accessible and usable for any external loads. A hatchmay be provided within the cabin of the rotary wing aircraft 12 to allowaccess to the equipment bay of the fixed-wing aircraft 14 in order torefuel or rearm inflight.

The rotary wing aircraft 12 may include a docking trapeze 38 disposedwithin the docking bay 34. The docking trapeze 38 may extend downwardlyfrom the docking bay 34 to contact the fixed-wing aircraft 14 duringdocking and undocking, whether on ground or inflight. The dockingtrapeze 38 may include at least one motor 40, at least one actuatormechanism 42, and at least one latching mechanism 44. The motor 42 maybe any suitable electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic motor, for example acabin-mounted winching motor 42. The actuator mechanism 42 may be anysuitable linear actuator, for example a scissor linkage mechanism, atelescoping mechanism, or a ball-screw drive mechanism. In one example,the rotary wing aircraft may include a docking trapeze to engage saidfixed-wing aircraft. In one instance, the docking trapeze includes amotor, a downwardly extending actuator mechanism driven by said motor,and a latching mechanism disposed at a lower end of said actuatormechanism to releasably engage the fixed-wing aircraft.

As illustrated in the Figures, a pair of laterally spaced scissorlinkage actuator mechanisms 42 may be used. The latching mechanism 44may be disposed at the lower, free end 45 of the actuator mechanism 42to engage corresponding latching port 46 (FIG. 7) disposed on thesurface of the center body 22 of the fixed-wing aircraft 14. Thelatching mechanism 44 may be any suitable latching or clamping device.For example, the latching mechanism 44 may be of a type which is adaptedto automatically engage and latch the latching port 46 when receivedtherein and can be manually or automatically operated to effect arelease. The docking trapeze 38 may include shock absorbers or dampenersto attenuate any shock from docking impacts.

At this point it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that thefixed-wing aircraft 14 may be suitably sized and tailored to meet thedocking requirements of each particular model or type of rotary wingaircraft 12. For example, the overall size of the fixed-wing aircraft 14may be larger for pairing with a tandem rotor rotorcraft, such as aChinook, and may be smaller for pairing with a single main rotorrotorcraft, such as a Blackhawk.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the fixed-wing aircraft 14 may bedetached inflight and utilized as a high speed armed escort or “wingman”or as a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) sensor platform. The fixed-wingaircraft 14 may include various retractable, internal, or externalpayloads 48, such as FLIR® thermal imaging laser designators, directenergy weapons (DEW), electronic warfare (EW) weapons, air-to-surface(ASM) missiles (e.g., Hellfire missiles), defense advanced GPS receivers(DAGR), machine guns, or fuel. Retractable payloads 48 may be housedwithin a payload bay and covered by retractable or pivotable payload baydoors 49 (FIG. 9).

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 11, the center body 22 of thefixed-wing aircraft 14 may include a nose 50 at a front end 52, a topsurface 54, a bottom surface 56, a left side 58, a right side 60, and arear end 62. The center body 22 and wings 24, 26 together form thepreferred airframe of the fixed-wing aircraft 14 and define the forwarddirection of flight. Alternatively, the airframe may not include acenter body 22, instead being a flying wing. In such a case, the wing'sleading edge would define the forward direction of flight for thefixed-wing aircraft 14. The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may include at leastone latching port 46 on the center body 22. The latching port 46 may bedisposed on the top surface 54, as illustrated, or on the bottom surface56 of the center body 22. At least one docking port connector 64,corresponding to the docking port 36, may be disposed on the center body22, two laterally spaced apart and aligned docking port connectors 64are shown by example. The docking port connector 64 may include at leastone hard docking point connector and at least one electronic controlconnector compliant with and connectable to the docking points andelectronic connections of the docking ports 36 of the rotary wingaircraft 12 for mechanical and electrical connection.

The fixed-wing aircraft 14 may also include a pair of upper surfacestabilators 66 and a pair of lower surface stabilators 68, which pivotoutwardly or unfold during flight. The stabilators 66, 68 may pivotforward to about a ninety-degree (90°) angle to the center body surfaces54, 56, when deployed. When retracted, the stabilators 66, 68 may besubstantially flush with the center body surfaces 54, 56. Thestabilators 66, 68 may be at about a ninety-degree (90°) angle to eachother.

The wings 24, 26 may extend outboard and forwardly from the sides 58, 60of the center body 22, respectively. Therefore, the wing configurationmay preferably be of the swept forward type, which allows for wingattachment toward the rear end 31 so that the center of gravity of thefixed-wing aircraft 14 is forward of the quarter chord of the wings 24,26. Each wing 24, 26 may include a left nacelle 70 and a right nacelle72, respectively, for containing the nacelle gearboxes 120, 122 (FIG.9), which may be connected to the proprotors 28, 30. The nacelles 70, 72may also include and house thrust engines in alternate embodiments ofthe fixed-wing aircraft 14. Alternatively, the wings 24, 26 may be largeenough such that nacelles 70, 72 may not be necessary. The nacelles 70,72 may be spanwise and centrally located on the wings 24, 26 and mayextend chordwise from rearward of wing left and right trailing edges 74,76 to forward of wing left and right leading edges 78, 80.

A rear portion of each wing 24, 26 may include left elevator-ailerons,or “elevons” 82, 83 and right elevons 84, 85. Left and right elevons 82,84 may extend substantially between the nacelles 70, 72 and the centerbody 22. Left and right elevons 83, 85 may extend substantially betweenthe nacelles 70, 72 and near the left and right outboard ends 86, 88 ofeach wing 24, 26. The elevons 82, 84 may form part of the wing trailingedge 74, 76. The elevons 82, 84 may perform functions normallyassociated with both ailerons and elevators on airplanes. Alternatively,the elevons 82, 84 could be full span elevons or there could be twoelevons on the main portions of the wings 24, 26 spanning substantiallybetween the nacelles 70, 72 and the center body 22.

The wings 24, 26 may each include left spoilers 90, 91 and rightspoilers 92, 93. The wings 24, 26 on their upper surfaces 94, 96 mayinclude upper spoilers 90, 92 which are spaced rearwardly from the wingleading edges 78, 80 and may extend spanwise from near the nacelles 70,72 to near the center body 22. Likewise, upper spoilers 91, 93 mayextend spanwise from near the nacelles 70, 72 to near the outboard wingends 86, 88. The wings 24, 26 on their lower surfaces 98, 100 mayinclude similarly located lower left spoilers 102, 103 and lower rightspoilers 104, 105, as shown in FIG. 9. All spoilers 90, 91, 92, 93, 102,103, 104, 105 near their front edge may be pivotably attached to thewing 24, 26, such that the spoilers 90, 91, 92, 93, 102, 103, 104, 105may pivot forward to about a ninety-degree) (90° angle to the wingsurfaces 94, 96, 98, 100, when deployed. When retracted, the spoilers90, 91, 92, 93, 102, 103, 104, 105 may be substantially flush with thewing surfaces 94, 96, 98, 100.

Each wing 24, 26 may have a rounded leading edge 78, 80 and airfoilthickness ratio (wing thickness divided by chord length) suitable tohave relatively stable stall characteristics. As the angle of attackincreases to the point where the wings 24, 26 begin to stall, the stalloccurs in a gradual, smooth, easily controllable manner. Alternatively,the leading edges 78, 80 may be sharp, and the thickness ratio muchlower.

As seen in FIG. 11, retractable main landing gear 106 may be housedwithin the center body 22 and may extend outwardly from the bottomsurface 56. When retracted, the landing gear 106 may be covered byretractable or pivotable landing gear bay doors 108. Secondary landinggear 110 may extend rearwardly from a rear end 112 of the nacelles 70,72, substantially parallel to the central axes “A” of the nacelles 70,72 and thus 65 parallel to both the central chordwise-spanwise plane(the plane of the wing) and the shear plane of each respective wing 24,26. The rear ends 112 of the nacelles 70, 72 may be bifurcated andinclude a pair of cover halves 114 such that each cover half 114 maypivot outwardly to expose the landing gear 110. Alternatively, thesecondary landing gear 110 may extend rearwardly from the wings 24, 26themselves. When separated from the rotary wing aircraft 12, thefixed-wing aircraft 14 may operate as a vertical takeoff and landing(VTOL) aircraft and may takeoff and land as a tail-sitter aircraft usingcyclic pitch, collective pitch, or both in the proprotors 28, 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the engine 33 and a main gearbox 116 may belocated in the center body 22 as shown schematically in dashed lines.Two rotating shafts 118 deliver power from the main gearbox 116 to aleft and right nacelle gearbox 120, 122, which are mounted within thenacelles 70, 72. Alternatively, a dual engine aircraft 14 may beprovided where an engine 33 may be located within in each nacelle 70, 72and directly connected to the proprotors 28, 30. The proprotors 28, 30may rotate through a substantially circular planar section (actuallyvery slightly upwardly conical) known as the disc 124. Each proprotor28, 30 may be fastened to a pitch housing which may be pivotablyconnected to a barrel portion of a hub through a bearing. “Disc loading”is defined as the rotor thrust divided by the disc area. The fixed-wingaircraft 14 may be designed to be a low disc loading aircraft. The lowweight of fixed-wing aircraft 14 may reduce the thrust necessary forflight, and the relatively long blades 32 may sweep out a relativelylarge disc area. The length of the blades 32 may be such that thediameter of the disc 124 may be slightly less than the span of thecorresponding wing 24, 26. The effect of low disc loading is to reducethe velocity of the airstream induced by the proprotor 28, 30. Incertain embodiments of the fixed-wing aircraft 14, fuel may be storedwithin the wings 24, 26 and provisions for emergency parachutes may alsobe provided.

Referring next to FIGS. 12 and 13, in another embodiment of thedisclosed compound rotorcraft and winged aircraft 10, the fixed-wingaircraft 14 may be a tail-sitter with tilting wings 24, 26 that forms aquad-rotorcraft when coupled in with the a tandem rotor rotary wingaircraft 12 or a tri-rotorcraft when coupled with a single main rotorrotary wing aircraft 12. The wings 24, 26 may tilt between a horizontalmode (FIG. 12) and a vertical mode (FIG. 13). When the fixed-wingaircraft 14 is coupled to the rotary wing aircraft 12 and the wings 24,26 are tilted to the vertical mode; the proprotors 28, 30 may provideadditional lift to the rotary wing aircraft 12. When docked and in thevertical mode, the wings 24, 26 and proprotors 28, 30 may provideaddition vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), short takeoff and landing(STOL), short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL), one engineinoperative (OEI), and low speed maneuver capabilities to the rotarywing aircraft 12 using helicopter-type controls.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, the wings 24, 26 may be rotatably attachedto the center body 22 and may transition between a generally horizontalposition, substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis “B” of thecenter body 22 and a generally vertical position, substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis “B” of the center body 22. Asmall gap 126 may be provided between a left and right inner end 128,130 of the wings 24, 26 and the center body 22. The gap 126 may providesufficient clearance for the wings 24, 26 to rotate, i.e., tilt, betweenthe horizontal and vertical modes. The wings 24, 26 may be rotatablyattached near the trailing edges 74, 74 by at least one cross shaft 132connected to a coupling gear box 134 as shown schematically in dashedlines. The cross shaft 132 may be driven by the engine 33 or by anindependent electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic motor (not shown)mechanically connected to the gear box 134 to allow for synchronizedrotation of the wings 24, 26. Alternatively, pivot arms may be connectedto the wings 24, 26 to push or pull the wings 24, 26 between thehorizontal and vertical positions. Alternatively still, motors (notshown) may be connected directly between the wings 24, 26 and the centerbody 22.

A pitch control system may control blade pitch around a pitch axes. Withcollective pitch control, the pitch of both blades 32 may be changedsimultaneously. When blade pitch is changed collectively, the pitchchange is the same, independent of blade position within the disc 124.Since a pitch control system is capable of collective pitch control, itmay be a “collective pitch control system.” However, it may also be a“cyclic pitch control system.” With cyclic pitch control, blade pitch isdependent on blade position within the disc 124. Cyclic pitch controlvaries blade pitch around the disc 124 so that pitch is reduced on oneside of the disc 124 and increased on the other side of the disc 124.

Advantageously as illustrated in the text and the figures above, thecompound rotorcraft provides in VTOL mode, UAS can takeoff/land as atail-sitter using cyclic/collective pitch in the proprotors. In yetanother advantage of the disclosed compound rotorcraft, the UAS can bedetached “detachable” in-flight and utilized as a high speed armedescort/wingman or BLOS sensor platform. Furthermore, UAS can carryinternal and external weapons, sensors and/or fuel. In one variant, whendocked to helicopter, UAS adds additional VTOL/STOL/OEI and lowspeedmaneuver capability with helicopter-type controls. For example, singleturboshaft (2,000+ shp class) enables 350+ knot dash speeds for deployedUAS. In another variant, when the disclosed compound rotorcraft is inairplane mode, UAS adds lift and propulsion compounding to helicopterwith wing and proprotors that increase cruise/dash speed.

For example, the increased cruise/dash speed may be approximately 40knots. In another example, when UAS is docked, forward and aft cargohooks on helicopter remain useable for external loads—a hatch within thecabin allows access to UAS equipment bay to refuel and/or rearm inflight. As such, the disclosed compound rotorcraft provides for a speedaugmentation for any rotorcraft that normally flies on the edgewiserotors without installing the compounding features like the wing orpropellers or rotors on the rotorcraft.

As illustrated in one or more examples above, the UAV attaches to therotorcraft at about or near its mid-point and at the lowest portion ofthe outer mould line beneath the rotorcraft. The UAV wing is able totilt which also tilts the propellers or rotors and provides additionallift compared to the uncompounded rotorcraft. As such, the trapezeextension and retraction system disclosed above advantageously provides,but not limited to, any or all the following: autonomous unmanned flightand the ability to dock with another rotorcraft, ability to providefixed-wing speed augmentation to the docked rotorcraft, increased range,added propulsion, added payload capability for the rotorcraft due toadded fuel, docked and undocked system flexibility to increase missioncapabilities, wing and propellers tilting provides for STOVL flightoperations, autonomous operations by the UAV minimizes the rotorcraftpilots' workload, speed, range, lift, payload capabilities may beautomatically delivered to rotorcraft, remote or wingman operation ofUAV with re-dock is rotorcraft paradigm shift, and autonomous UAVoperation does not adversely influence rotorcraft capability, and UAVcompounding of rotorcraft is low cost alternative to installedcomponents.

Accordingly, the disclosed compound rotorcraft may employ any type ofrotary wing aircraft that may be coupled or docked to a fixed-wingaircraft to become a compound rotorcraft, such that the resulting pairedplatform has improved performance and capabilities. The coupled platformprovides the advantage that a traditional rotorcraft can be compoundedwithout adding any additional drive components to the existing aircraftplatform. The compound platform may provide system flexibility, whichincreases mission capabilities with only minimal modification requiredto the rotorcraft and without installation of additional equipment.

Although various embodiments of the disclosed compound rotorcraft andwinged aircraft have been shown and described, modifications may occurto those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The presentapplication includes such modifications and is limited only by the scopeof the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A compound rotorcraft comprising: a rotary wingaircraft comprising a fuselage and at least one rotor; and a fixed-wingaircraft releasably coupled to an underside of said fuselage of saidrotary wing aircraft, said fixed-wing aircraft comprising a wing and apropulsion drive, wherein said compound rotorcraft flies on said rotor,on said propulsion drive, or on both said rotor and said propulsiondrive, and wherein said fixed-wing aircraft is detachable from saidrotary wing aircraft to fly independently of said rotary wing aircraft.2. The compound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein said rotary wing aircraftcomprises a docking bay disposed about a lower midpoint of saidunderside of said fuselage, and wherein said fixed-wing aircraft is atleast partially received in said docking bay.
 3. The compound rotorcraftof claim 2 wherein said rotary wing aircraft further comprises a dockingtrapeze to engage said fixed-wing aircraft.
 4. The compound rotorcraftof claim 3 wherein said docking trapeze comprises: a motor; an actuatormechanism driven by said motor, said actuator mechanism being downwardlyextendable from said docking bay and upwardly retractable within saiddocking bay; and a latching mechanism disposed at a lower end of saidactuator mechanism to releasably engage the fixed-wing aircraft.
 5. Thecompound rotorcraft of claim 4 wherein said fixed-wing aircraftcomprises a latching port to receive said latching mechanism.
 6. Thecompound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein said rotary wing aircraftcomprises at least one docking port having a mechanical docking pointand electrical connection to mechanically and electrically couple saidfixed-wing aircraft to said rotary wing aircraft.
 7. The compoundrotorcraft of claim 6 wherein said fixed-wing aircraft comprises atleast one docking port connector having a mechanical docking connectorand electrical connector to mechanically and electrically connect tosaid docking port.
 8. The compound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein saidfixed-wing aircraft comprises: a center body; a left wing extendingoutwardly from said center body; a right wing extending outwardly fromsaid center body away from said left wing; a left proprotor mounted onsaid left wing; and a right proprotor mounted on said right wing.
 9. Thecompound rotorcraft of claim 8 wherein said left wing and said rightwing are rotatably attached to said center body and translatable betweena generally horizontal position and a generally vertical position. 10.The compound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein said fixed-wing aircraft is aflying wing.
 11. The compound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein saidfixed-wing aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle.
 12. The compoundrotorcraft of claim 1 wherein the fixed-wing aircraft is a manned aerialvehicle.
 13. The compound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein said fixed-wingaircraft comprises a payload to augment said rotary wing aircraft. 14.The compound rotorcraft of claim 1 wherein said fixed-wing aircraft is atail-sitting vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
 15. A method forcompounding a rotary wing aircraft comprising a fuselage, at least onerotor and a docking bay disposed on an underside of said fuselage, saidmethod comprising the steps of: providing a fixed-wing aircraftcomprising at least one wing and a propulsion drive; and releasablycoupling said fixed-wing aircraft to said docking bay of said rotarywing aircraft to form a compound aerial platform, wherein said compoundaerial platform flies on said rotor, on said propulsion drive, or onboth said rotor and said propulsion drive.
 16. The method of claim 15further comprising detaching said fixed-wing aircraft from said rotarywing aircraft, wherein said detached fixed-wing aircraft fliesindependently of said rotary wing aircraft.
 17. The method of claim 15wherein said releasably coupling step comprises engaging said fixed-wingaircraft with a docking trapeze.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein saiddocking trapeze comprises: a motor; an actuator mechanism driven by saidmotor, said actuator mechanism being downwardly extendable from saiddocking bay and upwardly retractable within said docking bay; and alatching mechanism disposed at a lower end of said actuator mechanism toreleasably engage the fixed-wing aircraft.
 19. The method of claim 18wherein said fixed-wing aircraft comprises a latching port to receivesaid latching mechanism.
 20. The method of claim 15 wherein saidfixed-wing aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle.